Bicycle-saddle



N0. 62l,l39. Patented Mar. I4, I899. J. C. REUTER.

BICYCLE SADDLE.

(Application filed Oct. 30, 1896.)

(No Model.)

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JOHN C. REUTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LE ROY W. STEVENS, OF AUBURN, NEWV YORK.

BICYCLE-SADDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,139, dated March 14, 1899.

Application filed October 30, 1896. Serial No. 610,621. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. REUTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,

have invented a new and useful Bicycle-Saddle, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bicycle-saddles, and While especially designed for use in connection with machines of the nature referred to it is adapted to all classes of foot-propelled vehicles.

The object of the invention is to provide a saddle which is composed of separate and independent sections, each of which is independently supported and adapted to yield without affecting the other section. This accommodates perfectly the movements of the thighs and prevents the rider from becoming chafed against the front edge of the saddle.

The detailed objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the ensuing description.

The invention consists in a duplex saddle embodying novel features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, as here inafter fully described,illustrated in the drawings, and incorporated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a rear elevation, partly in section, of a saddle constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal vertical section through the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the saddle.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The improved saddle contemplated in the present invention may be termed a duplex saddle, as it is composed of two equal and similar sections which are independently and yieldingly supported.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 designates the saddle-clip, which has an opening to receive the top or horizontal portion of the saddle-post, said clip being secured to the post by means of the usual binding-screw 2. Extending in opposite directions from the clip 1 are curved arms or supports 3, the said supports curving from the clip 1 gently upward toward their extremities.

The curved support 3 is ellipsoidal in cross= section, as shown in the longitudinal section, and mounted slidingly upon the oppositelyprojecting ends of said support are sleeves 4c, carrying binding-screws 5, by which they may be held at any point on the support, and provided upon their upper sides each with a rigid ball or sphere 6. Mounted upon each ball 6 is a socket-piece 7, the lower portion of which exceeds a hollow hemisphere. This socketpiece is ordinarily constructed in sections, whereby it is adapted to be placed over and removed from the ball 6, and the sections are provided with corresponding perforated ears -8, by which the same may be riveted or otherwise united. Each socket-piece also has an upward extension 9, which fits loosely into the open lower end of a cup or sleeve 10, secured to one of the saddle-sections, (indicated at 11.)

Each section or portion 11 of the saddle is provided upon its under side with springs 12, secured at their opposite ends to the saddlesection and crossing each other at an intermediate point. At the point where said springs intersect they pass through an eye 13 in the upper end of the cup or sleeve 10, being secured therein by means of a binding-screw 14:. Within said cup or sleeve is arranged a coiled spring 15, which is interposed between the upper end of the extension 9 and the upper wall of said sleeve, the lower end of said spring fitting around the reduced extremity 16 of the extension 9. The spring 15 thus yieldingly supports the cup or sleeve 10 upon the socket-piece 7 and allows the up-anddown movement of its respective section of the saddle without affecting the remaining section, the sleeve or cup 10 being free to slide up and down on the extension 9. The springs 12 also materially increase the resiliency of the saddle-sections.

Each of the sleeves 4 has a rigid forwardly and upwardly extending arm 17, the extremity of which is expanded in width and underlies the springs 12 in advance of their intersection, thus forming a support for the front end of its respective section. The sections or portions 11 of the saddle are ellipsoidal in plan and preferably consist each of a metal cushion 19, ventilated as shown at 20. The

- the front edges of the saddle.

irregular cross-sectional shape of the support 3 prevents the sleeves 4 from turning thereon, and the extensions 9 and cups 10 are also irregular in cross-section to prevent their relative rotation.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the two sections or portions of the saddle are independently supported on the part 3 and that each is adapted to yield independently of the other and to rock in any direction by reason of the ball-and-socket joints intermediate the support 3 and the saddle-sections. The saddle thus accommodates itself to the movements of the thighs and prevents chafing caused by frictional contact against The shape of the saddle-sections may be changed to suit the will of the manufacturer, and it will be understood that the several parts of the saddle hereinabove described are susceptible of changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction, which may accordingly be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention. It will also be seen that the curved supporting-bar 3 causes the seat-sections to take a position with their upper faces inclined toward each other, with the connections between the seat and bar also inclining in the same direction. This disposition of parts tends to resist sidewise movement and in a measure to hold the rider centrally upon the machine. Should the saddle-sections be adjusted outwardly, the inclination of the upper faces will be slightly increased thereby.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. The combination with a support, of a saddle comprising two sections disconnected from each other, each section having a point of rigid attachment to said support but being free to move laterally in all directions independently of the other section, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a support, of a saddle comprising two sections, each connected to said support by a freely-movable universal joint for permitting said sections to move laterally in every direction independently of each other, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a support, of a saddle comprising twin sections disconnected and freely movable in all directions independently of each other, each section being connected to said support by a ball-and-socket joint, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a support having provision for its attachment to the saddlepost of a foot-propelled vehicle, of sleeves slidingly mounted on said support and provided with fastening means, and a saddle composed of independent twin sections each connected to one of said sleeves by a balland-socket joint, whereby said sections are adapted to yield in any direction independently of each other,substantially as described.

5. The combination with a support, of a saddle connected thereto by a ball-and-socket joint, a spring arranged beneath the saddle proper, and a supporting-arm extending from said support forward and upward and having its extremity arranged beneath said spring, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination with a saddle-clip having upwardly-curving arms or supports projeeting on each side thereof, of saddle-sections mounted on said bar one on each side of said clip, whereby the upper faces of the said sections and their connections with said arms are made to incline more and more toward each other as the said sections are moved outwardly, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a support having provision for its attachment to a saddle-post, two sleeves adjustably mounted on said support, a saddle comprising twin sections connected to said sleeves by a universal-joint connection permitting each section to move freely in all directions, each sleeve being provided with an arm extending upwardly toward its seat-section to limit the movement of the said seat-section, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. REUTER.

Witnesses:

FRANK A. LAINHART, FRED W. JoNEs. 

